It was a heavyweight fight between Cookies & Cream and Questionable Outfit in week 4, as both teams piled on the runs while Cookies & Cream narrowly held on to beat Questionable Outfit 13-12.

Questionable Outfit turned to Mike to start on the mound, opting to save staff ace Reilly for the other week 4 matchup. Mike was hit hard early, and Cookies jumped out to a quick lead in the top of the first. Blose led off the game with a mammoth blast to left-center, and the solo homer made the score 1-0. Joey followed with a single, and two batters later, Dinger hit a two-run shot to left, giving Cookies & Cream a 3-0 lead.

Joey started for Cookies & Cream, and his first inning didn’t start much better than Mike’s. Bob hit one of the deepest homers of the year to lead off the game, a towering bomb to deep right field, and Questionable cut the lead to 3-1 immediately. Joey retired the next two batters to maintain a two-run lead through the first.

Joey deals a pitch to Bob, who hit solo homers in the first and second innings

Cookies got back to work in the top of the second. Vassallo started the inning with a single, and Dinger followed with his second two-run homer in as many innings, extending the Cookies & Cream lead to 5-1.

Bob continued to swing a hot bat in the bottom of the second. With one out, he hit another deep shot to right, and his second homer of the game cut the score to 5-2.

Mike continued to get hit when Vassallo led off the top of the third with a solo homer, putting Cookies & Cream ahead 6-2. Blose later hit a one-out triple, but Mike avoided further damage by retiring Joey to end the inning.

Vassallo went 5-for-7 and scored 5 of Cookies & Cream’s 13 runs

Questionable Outfit would even things up in the bottom of the third with a barrage of hits. Reilly led off the inning with a triple and scored on a Mike double, cutting the score to 6-3. Two batters later, Tom launched a rocket to left, and the two-run homer made the score 6-5. Reilly followed with a solo shot, and Questionable had tied the game at 6-6 with back-to-back homers. Joey retired Mike to end the inning, and it would be the last batter he would face, for now.

Tom connects on a two-run blast in the bottom of the third

Cookies took the lead right back in the top of the fourth. Vassallo led off the inning with a double, and two batters later, Blose hit a one-out two-run bomb his second homer of the game, to put Cookies back on top 8-6. After a Joey single, Vassallo hit a two-run homer, and Cookies had jumped back out to a four-run lead at 10-6.

Vassallo rounds third after two-run home run in the top of the fourth

Questionable scratched right back in the bottom of the fourth. Cookies turned to Blose on the mound in relief, and the first batter he faced, Bob, doubled off the fence. He moved to third on a Tom single, and two batters later Mike hit a line drive three-run homer to left, cutting the score to 10-9. Blose was removed from the game and Cookies placed Vassallo on the mound. He gave up a triple to Bob, the first batter he faced, but stranded him at third to maintain a one-run lead through four.

Cookies got back at Mike in the top of the fifth, adding to their lead. Blose led off the inning with his third homer of the game, making the score 11-9. After Vassallo hit a one-out single, Dinger followed with his third two-run homer of the game, which put Cookies & Cream ahead 13-9.

Blose went 6-for-7 with 3 homers to lead Cookies & Cream

Reilly led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo homer to make the score 13-10. Vassallo avoided another big Questionable inning, retiring the next two batters in order.

After giving up at least one run for each of the first five innings, Mike pitched a perfect frame in the top of the sixth, retiring the side in order. Questionable would head into the bottom of the sixth down three runs.

Mike was hit hard by Cookies & Cream, giving up 13 runs on 16 hits in his worst outing of the season

Cookies & Cream went back to Joey for a rare second pitching appearance, but it didn’t last long. The first batter he faced, Tom, crushed a solo home run, and the score was 13-11. Cookies then brought Blose back into the game for what was also his second pitching appearance. He retired the first batter he faced, Reilly, but the next batter, Mike, hit his second homer of the game, pulling Questionable within a run at 13-12 with Bob up to bat. However, Blose buckled down, and got Bob to fly out to right field for the second out of the game, earning the save and giving Cookies & Cream a dramatic 13-12 win over Questionable Outfit.

The win improved Cookies & Cream to 4-3 on the year. The loss, Questionable Outfit’s third consecutive, dropped their record to 4-3.

Game Notes:
– Joey picked up the win for Cookies & Cream. Over two different appearances on the mound, he combined to allow 7 runs on 7 hits in 3 innings.
– Blose pitched 1.5 innings over two appearances, allowing 4 earned runs on 4 hits and collecting the save.
– Vassallo also pitched 1.5 innings of relief for Cookies & Cream, giving up 1 run on 2 hits.
– Mike took the complete game loss for Questionable Outfit, giving up 13 runs on 16 hits in 6 innings.
– Blose led Cookies & Cream on offense, going 6-for-7 with 2 singles, a triple, 3 home runs, 3 runs scored, and 4 RBI.
– Dinger and Vassallo also had big games for Cookies. Dinger went 3-for-7 with 3 two-run homers, 3 runs scored, and 6 RBI. Vassallo went 5-for-7 with 2 singles, a double, 2 home runs, 5 runs scored, and 3 RBI.
– Bob led Questionable Outfit at the plate, going 4-for-7 with a double, a triple, 2 home runs, 3 runs scored, and 2 RBI.
– Mike went 3-for-6 with a double, 2 homers, 3 runs scored, and 5 RBI.
– Reilly and Tom each hit 2 homers for Questionable in the loss.

Adam went 3-for-4 with 3 home runs to help spark the Ham Slams to their first win of the season

The Ham Slams were on their way to another frustrating loss when they reeled off a 5-run top of the sixth and held on to beat first place Eastbound & Dahn 7-4 for their first win of the 2015 season.

Christian started for Eastbound & Dahn, and after allowing a leadoff double to Tim, he retired the next two batters to strand the runner for a scoreless inning. Tim took the mound for the Ham Slams, and similarly, after allowing a one-out triple to Morrison, he stranded the runner, and the game was scoreless through an inning.

The Ham Slams got on the board in the top of the second when Adam hit a one out solo homer to deep left-center. Christian avoided further trouble, and Eastbound trailed 1-0. Tim cruised through the bottom of the second to maintain the one-run lead.

Christian pitched his first perfect frame in the top of the third, and he provided his own offense in the bottom half of the inning. After retiring Morrison to start the inning, Tim allowed a one-out single to Helal. Christian followed with a high, looping fly ball that just cleared the right field fence, and the two-run homer put Eastbound ahead 2-1.

Dan led off the top of the fourth with a double, but the Slams couldn’t capitalize, as Christian stranded him to maintain the lead. Morrison led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo homer, and Eastbound led 3-1 after four.

The Slams continued to struggle at the plate in the top of the fifth, as Christian retired the side in order. Tim matched him in the bottom of the fifth, and the Ham Slams went into their final at-bat down 3-1.

The tides turned in the top of the sixth, and the Slams went on a run that would lead them to their first taste of victory this season. Dan led off with a solo homer, cutting the deficit to 3-2, and Adam followed with another solo shot, tying the game at 3-3. Tim came to the plate and crushed a homer to deep right field, and in three at-bats, the Ham Slams had strung together back-to-back-to-back home runs to take a 4-3 lead. Steve followed with a single and moved to second on a Josh ground out to left. Dan then doubled, scoring Steve to bump the Ham Slams lead to 5-3. The next batter, Adam, blasted his second homer of the inning, and the two-run shot put the Ham Slams ahead 7-3. Eastbound had seen enough from Christian and turned to their bullpen, bringing their ace Helal to the mound. He retired the only batter he faced to end the inning, and Eastbound trailed by four runs.

Christian turns to watch as Tim’s homer gives the Ham Slams the lead

Tim retired Helal to start the inning, but Christian followed with his second homer of the game, a solo blast that made the score 7-4. Tim avoided a collapse, however, retiring the next batter, Nate, to end the game.

The win moved the Ham Slams to 1-6 on the year, while the loss dropped Eastbound & Dahn to 5-2.

Game Notes:
– Tim pitched the complete game win for the Ham Slams, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits while striking out one.
– Christian took the loss for Eastbound & Dahn, giving up 7 runs on 9 hits in 5.5 innings. Helal faced one batter in 0.5 innings, and retired the batter.
– Adam led the way on offense for the Ham Slams, going 3-for-4 with 3 homers, 3 runs scored, and 4 RBI.
– Dan also went 3-for-4 for the Slams, with 2 doubles, a home run, 2 runs scored, and 2 RBI.
– Christian led Eastbound & Dahn at the plate, going 2-for-4 with 2 home runs, 2 runs scored, and 3 RBI.

Nate, who snapped out of an early slump with a career game in week 3, has helped direct Eastbound & Dahn to first place

For the first time in franchise history, Eastbound & Dahn has claimed sole possession of first place in the EWL standings. At 5-1 after three weeks, Eastbound is the EWL’s biggest surprise in 2015. Led by offseason free agent acquisition Morrison, who is having yet another great season on the wiffle diamond, Eastbound has won three straight and has been able to win low and high scoring games. Helal is off to one of the greatest starts on the mound in EWL history, and every member of Eastbound has contributed.

Steve and Eastbound & Dahn have flexed their muscles and their bats in 2015

Guthrie was back in classic form, allowing only one run in the Cookies & Cream win

The Cookies & Cream offense came alive for the first time in 2015, as all five players homered and Guthrie kept the Questionable Outfit offense in check in an 11-1 win.

After retiring Reilly for the first out of the game, Bob came to the plate and launched a solo bomb to deep right-center, putting Questionable Outfit ahead 1-0 early. However, this would be the only run Questionable would score in the game. Despite getting at least one base runner in every inning of the game, Questionable could not produce runs, and Guthrie pitched scoreless frames starting in the second inning.

Bob’s solo homer in the first was the only offense Questionable Outfit could muster off Guthrie and Cookies & Cream

Down 1-0, it didn’t take long for Cookies & Cream to even things up against Mike and Questionable Outfit. Blose led off the bottom of the second with a solo homer, tying the game at 1-1. Vassallo followed with a single, and he scored from first with the help of throwing errors when Guthrie grounded out for the first out of the inning. Joey followed with a double, but Mike stranded him to keep the score at 2-1.

Mike led off the top of the second with a sharply hit ball of the fence. After rounding first and heading toward second, Blose pump-faked throwing the ball at Mike, causing him to skip past second base and allowing Blose to tag him for the first out. Reilly followed with a single, but despite allowing two hits, Guthrie escaped the inning without surrendering the 2-1 Cookies lead.

Mike pitched a scoreless inning in the bottom of the second, and Guthrie matched him in the top of the third.

Cookies would extend their lead in the bottom of the third inning. Joey led off with a single, and after Les flew out to the mound, Blose crushed a two-run bomb, his second homer of the game, to make the score 4-1. Vassallo followed with a solo-shot, and the back-to-back homers gave Cookies & Cream a 5-1 lead.

Vassallo connects on a solo homer off Mike in the bottom of the third

Bob singled to lead off the top of the fourth, but Guthrie continued to roll, retiring the side to strand the runner.

Cookies added a few more in the bottom of the fourth. Joey led off the inning with a solo homer, making the score 6-1. Les followed with another solo blast, and Cookies’ second back-to-back homers in the game made the score 7-1.

With Joey on third, Tom approaches a high, looping fly ball

Bob hit a one-out double in the top of the fifth, but Questionable struggled to hit Guthrie consistently, as he stranded another runner to maintain the lead.

Cookies & Cream put the game away in the bottom of the fifth. Guthrie led off the inning with a solo homer, and the score was 8-1. Joey doubled, and Les followed with another double, scoring Joey to push the score to 9-1. Blose then hit an RBI single to put Cookies ahead 10-1. Vassallo grounded out for the first out of the inning. Guthrie doubled off the fence, scoring Blose to make the score 11-1. Guthrie was caught in between bases trying to extend the double into a triple, ending the inning.

Les hits an RBI double to drive in Joey from third

In an unusual position, down 10 runs, Questionable couldn’t rally in the top of the sixth. Reilly hit a one-out double, but as he did all game, Guthrie stranded the runner, ending the inning and the game.

The win moved Cookies & Cream to .500 at 3-3 on the year. The loss dropped Questionable Outfit to 4-2 and into a position other than first place (second place) in the standings for the first time since early 2014.

– Guthrie pitched the complete game win for Cookies & Cream, allowing a single run while scattering 7 hits in 6 innings.
– Mike took the loss for Questionable Outfit, giving up 11 runs on 14 hits in 5 innings.
– Blose led Cookies & Cream at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a single, 2 home runs, 3 runs scored, and 4 RBI.
– Joey also had a good game at the plate, going 4-for-4 with 2 doubles, a triple, a home run, 3 runs scored, and an RBI.
– Bob led Questionable Outfit, going 3-for-5 with a single, a double, a homer, a run scored, and an RBI.

Nate went 6-for-7, hitting for the cycle for the first time in is career in an Eastbound & Dahn blowout win

Nate hit for the cycle, Morrison continued to swing a hot bat, and Christian did enough on the mound, as Eastbound pulled away from the Ham Slams in a 14-7 win.

Tim led off the game for the Ham Slams, and in a rare lefty-lefty matchup, Christian fanned him for the game’s first out. The Slams would get on the board, however, when Steve followed with a solo homer, making the score 1-0. Josh followed with a one-out double, but Christian stranded him to minimize the damage.

Tim also made his first career start on the mound for the Ham Slams. The game’s first batter, Nate, hit a single off the wall, but was caught out trying to extend the hit into a double. Morrison followed with a double, but Tim retired Helal to end the inning, and the Slams remained ahead 1-0.

Dan led off the top of the second with a double, but Christian stranded him at second for a scoreless inning.

Eastbound would pull ahead in the bottom of the second. Christian led off the inning with a triple, and Nate followed with an RBI triple, tying the game at 1-1. Morrison followed with a deep fly ball out to left, but Nate tagged and scored on the play, and the sacrifice fly made the score 2-1. Helal followed with a double, but Tim stranded him to end the inning.

The Ham Slams bounced back in the top of the third to regain the lead. Steve hit a double to lead off the inning, but was caught in between second and third trying to extend the hit into a triple for the first out of the inning. Josh followed with a one-out solo bomb, tying the game at 2-2. After Adam hit a one-out double, Dan drove him in with his second double of the game, and the Slams were ahead 3-2. Alan got the first hit of his young EWL career, an RBI single which scored Dan, putting the Slams in front 4-2.

The back-and-forth battle continued int he bottom of the second when Eastbound would even things up. Nate led off the inning with a double, and Morrison followed with a two-run bomb, tying the game at 4-4. Helal would then double, but Tim stranded him to maintain the tie, striking out Christian and retiring Nate for the first time in the game.

Christian got back on track in the top of the fourth, retiring the side in order. With the game tied at 4-4, Eastbound would pull away in the bottom of the fourth with a historic inning.

Christian scattered 7 runs and had more than enough run support to move Eastbound to 5-1 on the year

In one of the most unusual sequences in EWL history, Eastbound started the bottom of the fourth inning with 7 consecutive singles, which were followed by 2 consecutive homers. The 9 straight hits accounted for 9 runs, and the big inning essentially put the game away. For the second consecutive week, Eastbound had scored 8 or more runs in a single inning late in the game to pull away.

Morrison led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a Helal single. Christian loaded the bases with a single, and Nate drove in two runners with an RBI single to make the score 6-4. Morrison then singled to load the bases, and Helal’s single scored two runs to put Eastbound ahead 8-4. Christian followed with yet another RBI single, the seventh consecutive single, and Eastbound led 9-4. Nate then came to the plate and capped his cycle with a three-run bomb to left-center, clearing the bases and giving Eastbound a 12-4 lead. Morrison put the icing on the cake with a solo homer, and the score was 13-4. Tim would retired Helal and strikeout Christian for the second time in the game to end the inning, but Eastbound’s offense explosion gave them a 9 run lead through four innings.

The Ham Slams chipped away at the lead in the top of the fifth with some singles of their own. Adam led off with a single and moved to second on a Dan single. Alan then singled, scoring Adam to cut the score to 13-5. Tim grounded out to deep center for the first out of the inning. Dan scored on the play, but after the run scored, Alan was caught in between bases for the second out of the inning, and the score was 13-6.

Eastbound would add one more in the bottom of the fifth, when Nate capped his already stellar game with a solo homer, his second bomb of the game, to make the score 14-6.

Christian remained on the mound to close out the game in the top of the sixth. Josh hit a one-out homer to cut the score to 14-7, but the rally ended there, as Christian retired Adam to end the game.

Josh went 3-for-4 with a double, two homers, 2 runs scored, and 2 RBI in a Ham Slams loss

The win moved Eastbound to 5-1 on the year and into sole possession of first place for the first time in franchise history. The loss dropped the Ham Slams to 0-6.

– Christian pitched the complete game win for Eastbound, giving up 7 runs on 12 hits and striking out one in 6 innings.
– Tim took the loss for the Ham Slams, giving up 14 runs on 18 hits and fanning 2 in 5 innings pitched.
– Nate led Eastbound & Dahn at the plate in the best game of his career, going 6-for-7 and hitting for the cycle. He had 2 singles, a double, a triple, 2 homers, 5 runs scored, and 7 RBI.
– Morrison also had a big game on offense, going 5-for-7 with 2 singles, a double, 2 home runs, 4 runs scored, and 4 RBI.
– Josh led the Ham Slams on offense, going 3-for-4 with a double, 2 home runs, 2 runs scored, and 2 RBI.
– Dan also went 3-for-3 for the Slams with a single, 2 doubles, 2 runs scored, and an RBI.

Morrison’s two solo homers were the only offense Helal needed, as he stymied the red hot Questionable Outfit bats in a 2-1 win, giving Questionable their first loss of the season.

Reilly started for Questionable, and came into the game 2-0 in 2015, continuing where he left off in 2014. He retired the side in order in the top of the first.

Helal, who pitched two 3-hitters against Cookies & Cream in the first two weeks of the season, also came into the game 2-0. He matched Reilly in the bottom of the first, retiring the side in order and striking out Bob.

Reilly continued to roll in the top of the second, and Helal maintained the scoreless tie with a perfect bottom half of the inning.

Nate led off the top of the third with a single, but was caught out in between bases trying to extend the hit into a double. The next batter, Morrison, crushed a solo shot to deep left-center, putting Eastbound ahead 1-0. Helal followed with a single, but Reilly retired Christian to strand the runner and end the inning.

Questionable bounced right back in the bottom of the third. Tom hit a one-out solo shot to left, tying the game at 1-1. Mike followed with a double, but Helal fanned Reilly for his second strikeout of the game, and the score remained tied.

For the second time in as many innings, Morrison hit a one-out solo homer off Reilly, putting Eastbound ahead 2-1. Eastbound couldn’t muster any more runs off Reilly, but they wouldn’t need any, as Helal continued to dominate.

Bob led off the bottom of the fourth with double, but Helal stranded him at second, and Eastbound led 2-1 through four.

Reilly cruised through the top of the fifth, but Helal did the same in the bottom half of the inning.

Helal singled with one out in the top of the sixth, but Reilly stranded him, and Questionable would head into the bottom of the sixth trailing 2-1.

Down to their final two outs, Questionable continued to struggle against Helal, as he retired Tom and Mike in order, giving Eastbound & Dahn a 2-1 win.

The win moved Eastbound to 4-1 and into a tie for first int he standings. The loss, Questionable’s first of the year and their first since game 2 of the 2014 Wiffle Series, dropped them to 4-1.

– Helal pitched the complete game win for Eastbound & Dahn, allowing only a single run on 4 hits while striking out 2.
– Reilly took the loss for Questionable Outfit, giving up 2 runs on 5 hits in 6 innings pitched.
– Morrison led Eastbound & Dahn at the plate, going 2-for-4 with 2 homers, 2 runs scored, and 2 RBI.
– Tom provided the only offensive production for Questionable in the loss, going 1-for-4 with a solo homer, a run scored, and an RBI.

Les connects on a 3-run homer that put Cookies & Cream ahead 7-6 in the bottom of the fifth

In a back-and-forth game, Les’s late 3-run homer was the deciding factor as Cookies & Cream rallied late to top the Ham Slams 7-6.

Joey returned to the mound for Cookies & Cream after taking a week off and he got off to a good start, striking out Steve, the games first batter en route to a scoreless first inning.

Cookies would get on the board early in the bottom of the second. Blose led off the game with a double, and Guthrie’s one-out RBI single made the score 1-0. Joey would follow with a single to put runners on first and second, but Josh, the Slam’s starting pitcher, avoided further trouble by retiring Les to end the inning.

Joey went 3-for-4 at the plate with two singles, a double, and a run scored

The Slams bounced back in the top of the second to tie the game. Dan led off the inning with a double, and Steve followed with another double, which scored Dan to make the score 1-1.

Steve went 3-for-5 for the Ham Slams with a single, a double, a triple, a run scored, and 3 RBI

Cookies fought back in the bottom of the second, as Blose led off the inning with a triple. Vassallo followed with an RBI triple, and the score was 2-1. Guthrie then singled in Vassallo to make the score 3-1 before Josh retired the next two batters to end the inning.

Joey pitched a perfect frame in the top of the third, and Josh matched him, as the score remained 3-1.

Dan was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate, with a single, 3 doubles, 3 runs scored, and 2 RBI

The Slams got out their bats in the top of the fourth, putting together what was likely their best inning in 2015. Dan led off the inning with a double and scored on a Steve RBI single to make the score 3-2. After Adam singled to put runners on the corners with one out, Tim doubled off the fence, scoring a run to tie the game at 3-3. Dan then hit his third double of the game, clearing the bases to put the Ham Slams back ahead 5-3. With Dan on second, Steve tripled to collect his second RBI of the inning, extending the Slams lead to 6-3. Joey retired the next batter to end the inning, but the Slams had pulled ahead by three runs.

Adam singled and scored during the Ham Slams 5-run top of the fourth

Josh allowed a one-out single to Joey in the bottom of the fourth, but stranded the runner, maintaining the Ham Slams lead.

Joey retired the side in order in the top of the fifth, and Cookies & Cream would bounce back again in the bottom of the fifth.

Joey held the Ham Slams in check before turning the ball over the Blose for the save

Blose led off the inning with a triple, his second of the game, and scored on a Vassallo groundout to left to cut the deficit to 6-4. Guthrie hit a one-out single and moved to third when Joey followed with a double. With runners on second and third and one out, Les came to the plate and parked one deep over the left field fence. The three-run bomb put Cookies & Cream ahead 7-6, regaining the lead for the second time in the game. Josh retired Blose to end the inning, but the Slams had surrendered the lead again.

For the first time in 2015, Cookies turned to their closer, Blose, to get the last two outs in the top of the sixth. The first batter he faced, Dan, singled to put the tying run on base. But Blose buckled down, retiring Steve and Josh to end the inning, collecting his first save of the season.

The win moved Cookies & Cream to 2-3 on the season, and the Ham Slams remained winless at 0-5.